Now Commenting On:

Singleton wears Hoes' old uniform No. 28

5/13/14: L.J. Hoes launches one deep to left for a two-run home run, giving the Astros a 2-0 lead

By Brian McTaggart and Mike Vernon
/
MLB.com |

HOUSTON -- When Jon Singleton signed his long-term contract to play for the Astros, L.J. Hoes saw his old number had a new home.

Singleton would wear No. 28, which is a number Hoes has tattooed on his back in honor of his uncle, who was killed by a drunk driver. Hoes' uncle wore the number playing baseball and football in high school.

Hoes is good friends with Singleton, so when Hoes was called back up to the Major Leagues on Wednesday in place of Robbie Grossman, who was optioned down to Triple-A Oklahoma City, he got a chance to call out Singleton for the number swap.

"Oh yeah," Hoes said. "This guy over here took my number."

"That was a miscommunication," Singleton said. "No one told me."

Hoes wanted to be clear that he's not upset with Singleton for wearing the number. Besides, he has a new one now, as Hoes will wear No. 0, and he was told he'd be the first Astros player to ever wear zero.

Brian McTaggart is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, Tag's Lines. Follow @brianmctaggart on Twitter. Mike Vernon is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.